Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
Jesus gathered his twelve disciples as his chosen representatives and gave them power and authority over all evil spirits to drive them out and to cure diseases. He sent them out two by two through the towns and villages to preach the kingdom of God and gather a harvest for eternal life, a sending that became the pattern for the seventy and for the work to reach the whole world. Preaching the word and healing the sick belong together as two lines of one blended work, never to be separated or set against each other. That united commission still binds his messengers today to walk in his footsteps as the divine Healer, joining prayer for the sick with soul-saving truth and carrying forward the medical missionary work he began. Even Judas shared fully in that gift though never truly surrendered, showing that power, membership and office never make Christians, while Satan, unable to prevail against Christ himself, turns with tenfold stronger effort to overthrow those entrusted with it.
The Twelve Sent Empowered
Jesus called the twelve together as his representatives and first evangelists after they had been prepared by his teaching and example and by assisting him, yet they still needed experience working on their own with further instruction, patience, and correction.
He sent them to towns and villages, two by two, to preach the kingdom of God and the gospel, reaping a harvest others had prepared and gathering fruit for eternal life. Their service was to extend to all who needed light and truth without treating neighbor and enemy as separate classes, with their whole lives devoted to saving work and shaped by love for fallen humanity. They held the good news of salvation in trust to share individually and to extend the work as their numbers grew until it reached the whole world. Their mission was part of his work to save the world and to educate those who served him, calling for willing, active laborers in a larger effort in which some sowed and others reaped.
Their mission and instructions became the pattern and plan for the later sending of the seventy in the same way and under the same direction, as part of sharing responsibility and following after them in the work. He gave them power and authority over all devils and unclean spirits to rebuke and cast them out and to cure diseases, including those afflicted by evil spirits, which they exercised in his name as they went in faith through Galilee. This power accompanied their preaching of the kingdom, showing that teaching and healing belong together in one work rather than as separate works.
The gift shows his superiority over satanic powers that confuse and darken minds, as he appointed the disciples to carry out his work with heavenly agencies operating against satanic agencies. Having prevailed nothing against him yet retaining power and authority upon earth, Satan knew of this gift and sought to overcome his followers with tenfold stronger efforts through every generation to overthrow them if possible, sending his angels like roaring lions to ensnare and destroy those who would believe in his resurrection and ascension. They at first successfully cast out evil spirits, but later failed to free a boy from a tormenting spirit, bringing humiliation and public doubt about their authority and their Master.
Judas was included among the twelve and entrusted with the same power to heal the sick and cast out devils and with evangelistic work even though imperfect and not fully surrendered. The gift, church membership, and office never make Christians, but doing the Word makes sons and daughters of God. His failure to be converted daily into a sanctified instrument left hereditary and natural tendencies for Satan to use to dishonor Christ and imperil his own soul, despite the lessons and evidence of power given him. His case warns that unsanctified knowledge of truth forms wrong character and leads to departing from the faith, confederating with apostates, betraying sacred trusts, and doing greater harm because of that knowledge.
Preaching and Healing United
Luke 9:1 joins preaching the kingdom of God and the gospel with healing the sick and casting out devils and unclean spirits in his name, with teaching blended in, as two lines of one twofold work rather than separate, independent or competing missions. Preaching the Word and caring for the sick, teaching and healing, were joined parts of the ministry of the twelve and are not to be separated in God's work, and his messengers today are likewise to carry preaching and healing together. In that united work care for physical health comes first so the way is prepared for minds to be reached by the truths preached.
His ministry included medical missionary work and his methods remain the model for his followers. That commission to heal which he gave with power and authority continues through those commissioned to carry forward the medical missionary work he began. Though he is no longer bodily present in towns and villages to heal, his followers are commissioned to continue this work, caring for the sick in both body and soul and bringing them healing through him.
Power for that healing service must be sought from him, for medical workers must come to him for their power of healing. He baptizes workers with the Holy Spirit and fits them for a service that restores both spiritual and physical health, as the greatest physician who ever trod this sin-cursed earth. This gift of power rests on the reign of the Lord God omnipotent.
The twofold command still binds ministers today to walk in his footsteps as the divine Healer who saves lives rather than destroys them. It joins prayer for the sick and afflicted under the influence of the Holy Spirit with teaching soul-saving truth, asking God to take their cases under his oversight and cooperating with him in the sacredness of his work. So ministry in word and deed carries convincing power and marked evidence of heavenly inspiration, especially in proclaiming the message for this time in the large cities.
Preaching and healing as two lines of one work must not be separated in home missions or foreign missions, and medical missionary work is not to be carried forward as something apart from gospel ministry, church and ministry. The Lord's people are to be one with no separation in his work, and the medical missionary work is to be connected with the work of the third angel's message as the hand is connected with the body. The education of students in medical lines is not complete unless they are trained to work in connection with the church and the ministry, and every scheme to separate those whom God is seeking to make one comes from Satan and must not mislead.
That united work of preaching, teaching and healing is the work God has given his people to do in fulfillment of the Scriptures, which everyone should understand to see how they harmonize.
Jesus gathered his twelve disciples as his chosen representatives and gave them power and authority over all evil spirits to drive them out and to cure diseases. He sent them out two by two through the towns and villages to preach the kingdom of God and gather a harvest for eternal life, a sending that became the pattern for the seventy and for the work to reach the whole world. Preaching the word and healing the sick belong together as two lines of one blended work, never to be separated or set against each other. That united commission still binds his messengers today to walk in his footsteps as the divine Healer, joining prayer for the sick with soul-saving truth and carrying forward the medical missionary work he began. Even Judas shared fully in that gift though never truly surrendered, showing that power, membership and office never make Christians, while Satan, unable to prevail against Christ himself, turns with tenfold stronger effort to overthrow those entrusted with it.
The Twelve Sent Empowered
Jesus called the twelve together as his representatives and first evangelists after they had been prepared by his teaching and example and by assisting him, yet they still needed experience working on their own with further instruction, patience, and correction.
He sent them to towns and villages, two by two, to preach the kingdom of God and the gospel, reaping a harvest others had prepared and gathering fruit for eternal life. Their service was to extend to all who needed light and truth without treating neighbor and enemy as separate classes, with their whole lives devoted to saving work and shaped by love for fallen humanity. They held the good news of salvation in trust to share individually and to extend the work as their numbers grew until it reached the whole world. Their mission was part of his work to save the world and to educate those who served him, calling for willing, active laborers in a larger effort in which some sowed and others reaped.
Their mission and instructions became the pattern and plan for the later sending of the seventy in the same way and under the same direction, as part of sharing responsibility and following after them in the work. He gave them power and authority over all devils and unclean spirits to rebuke and cast them out and to cure diseases, including those afflicted by evil spirits, which they exercised in his name as they went in faith through Galilee. This power accompanied their preaching of the kingdom, showing that teaching and healing belong together in one work rather than as separate works.
The gift shows his superiority over satanic powers that confuse and darken minds, as he appointed the disciples to carry out his work with heavenly agencies operating against satanic agencies. Having prevailed nothing against him yet retaining power and authority upon earth, Satan knew of this gift and sought to overcome his followers with tenfold stronger efforts through every generation to overthrow them if possible, sending his angels like roaring lions to ensnare and destroy those who would believe in his resurrection and ascension. They at first successfully cast out evil spirits, but later failed to free a boy from a tormenting spirit, bringing humiliation and public doubt about their authority and their Master.
Judas was included among the twelve and entrusted with the same power to heal the sick and cast out devils and with evangelistic work even though imperfect and not fully surrendered. The gift, church membership, and office never make Christians, but doing the Word makes sons and daughters of God. His failure to be converted daily into a sanctified instrument left hereditary and natural tendencies for Satan to use to dishonor Christ and imperil his own soul, despite the lessons and evidence of power given him. His case warns that unsanctified knowledge of truth forms wrong character and leads to departing from the faith, confederating with apostates, betraying sacred trusts, and doing greater harm because of that knowledge.
Preaching and Healing United
Luke 9:1 joins preaching the kingdom of God and the gospel with healing the sick and casting out devils and unclean spirits in his name, with teaching blended in, as two lines of one twofold work rather than separate, independent or competing missions. Preaching the Word and caring for the sick, teaching and healing, were joined parts of the ministry of the twelve and are not to be separated in God's work, and his messengers today are likewise to carry preaching and healing together. In that united work care for physical health comes first so the way is prepared for minds to be reached by the truths preached.
His ministry included medical missionary work and his methods remain the model for his followers. That commission to heal which he gave with power and authority continues through those commissioned to carry forward the medical missionary work he began. Though he is no longer bodily present in towns and villages to heal, his followers are commissioned to continue this work, caring for the sick in both body and soul and bringing them healing through him.
Power for that healing service must be sought from him, for medical workers must come to him for their power of healing. He baptizes workers with the Holy Spirit and fits them for a service that restores both spiritual and physical health, as the greatest physician who ever trod this sin-cursed earth. This gift of power rests on the reign of the Lord God omnipotent.
The twofold command still binds ministers today to walk in his footsteps as the divine Healer who saves lives rather than destroys them. It joins prayer for the sick and afflicted under the influence of the Holy Spirit with teaching soul-saving truth, asking God to take their cases under his oversight and cooperating with him in the sacredness of his work. So ministry in word and deed carries convincing power and marked evidence of heavenly inspiration, especially in proclaiming the message for this time in the large cities.
Preaching and healing as two lines of one work must not be separated in home missions or foreign missions, and medical missionary work is not to be carried forward as something apart from gospel ministry, church and ministry. The Lord's people are to be one with no separation in his work, and the medical missionary work is to be connected with the work of the third angel's message as the hand is connected with the body. The education of students in medical lines is not complete unless they are trained to work in connection with the church and the ministry, and every scheme to separate those whom God is seeking to make one comes from Satan and must not mislead.
That united work of preaching, teaching and healing is the work God has given his people to do in fulfillment of the Scriptures, which everyone should understand to see how they harmonize.